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Notes, Short Comments, and Answersto Correspondents.HOW DISEASE IS SPREAD.

AT a meeting of the Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, District Council,held on August 21st, the medical officer of health is reported tohave stated that he found a boy suffering from small-pox in a housewhere ice-cream was manufactured and sold. At the time of his visitto the house the parents of the child were selling the ice-cream in thestreets. He also stated that there were several cases of small-pox inan adjoining parish. The ice-cream was of course destroyed. Pre-

suming the facts to be substantially correct as reported, we cannotascribe sufficient blame to the parents. They may have acted inignorance, but such ignorance is criminal. The case should serve asa reminder to all medical men that the danger of infection ought tobe impressed and reimpressed on the poor of the community. With

regard to small-pox the public should have little to fear, but theydo not periodically submit themselves to revaccination, and theGovernment have failed to keep their promise to effect legal reformin this direction. It may not be always amongst the poorest thatconcealment of infectious diseases, intentional or otherwise, is to be

feared, nor is it only in the lowest stratum of society that denseignorance is found. A case presenting somewhat similar features isreported from Glasgow, where a man was convicted at the Sheriff’sCourt on August 19th for having used, without giving due notice, ahackney carriage from a public stance for the conveyance of his child,who was suffering from scarlet fever. He pleaded in defence mentalperturbation and ignorance of the provisions of the Public Health Act,and was properly fined. His offence against the public was not on theface of it so grave as that of the ice-cream seller, but the opportunitiesof spreading disease in the way that he adopted are very frequent andmust be guarded against.

POST-HERPETIC NEURALGIA.

To the Editors of THE LANCET.

SIRS,-I should feel indebted to any readers of THE LANCET for somesuggestions as to treatment in the following case. A patient of mine,a male, aged 62 years, subject to gout, suffered from an acute attack ofherpes zoster in August, 1900, which ran its usual course, leaving, how-ever, a persistent neuralgia along the course of two intercostal nervesand being most marked over the point of exit from the spine and overthe point in front where the branch comes through to supply the skin.The heart is normal and the urine contains a mere trace of albumin.Most remedies have been tried, amongst which are included: (a) ex-ternally-cocaine, iodine, blisters, morphia injected into the tenderspots, electricity; (b) internally-alkalies, colchicum, arsenic, iodide of potassium, bromides, piperidine, quinine, phenacetin and antipyrin,but the pain still continues. He has had the advice of specialists inLondon, Berlin, and Wiesbaden.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,August 20th, 1901. KENSINGTON.

"THE RE-MAKING OF MATTRESSES."

IN reference to this subject we have received a communication fromMessrs. Pate, Burke, and Co., the proprietors of Petanelle, informingus that they make mattresses stuffed with Petanelle wool. This is afibrous material derived from peat, and though we have had noexperience of it as regards a filling for mattresses yet from ourexamination (THE LANCET, Oct. 9th, 1897, p. 922) of specimenssubmitted to us when known as " Beraudine peat wool," weshould think it well fitted for the purpose indicated.

HERBAL MEDICINE A CENTURY AGO.

To the Editors oj THE LANCET.

SIRS,-I chanced to come across a curious and, to the medical man,interesting old book a short time ago; it is called " The FamilyHerbal" and gives all the common English plants and flowers whichcan be used medicinally, with directions for preparation. The author,Sir John Hill, M.D., F.R.A. of Sciences of Bourdeaux, states his

opinion in the preface that if medical men used herbs more andchemicals less there would not be so much suffering in the world- Hegives full directions for the gathering and preserving of herbs, with themethods of preparing them and directions for their use. The book isintended for the use of families and those who are " charitable to the

poor in the relief of their disorders." He, the author, would have"

every lady who has the spirit of this true benevolence keep a kind ofdruggist shop of her own supplied from the neighbouring fields and herown garden." I have selected a few of the commoner wild and gardenplants, with the preparation to be used and the diseases which they aresupposed to cure. Most, we are told, " work hy urine," and, in fact, nineout of 10 would appear to have a diuretic action. A decoction of

ground-ivy leaves cures " foul and bloody urine." An infusion of half-ripe garden beans is a good carminative. The juice of beet-root curesheadache. The root of bindweed boiled in ale is a powerful purgeThe oil of the box-tree, procured by distillation, dropped into thehollow of a carious tooth, relieves toothache—so-called " leprosies,"

the author states, have been cured by this oil taken internally Barren-wort is given to hysterical women with great success. An infusionmade from the flowers and tops of Canterbury bells is an excellent

gargle for sore-throats. Furze-bush seeds are safe astringents. The juiceof the great celandine is good for sore eyes. Chickweed cut up fine andboiled in lard makes a good cooling ointment. Cowslip tea is "muchused against apoplexies." Crowfoot leaves laid on the skin raiseblisters as quickly and surely as cantharides. The juice expressed fromdaffodil roots is a prompt emetic; used externally, it takes down

swellings rapidly. Dock root beaten up with lard is a sure cure for theitch. The juice of eyebright is famous for improving dimness of sight.Foxglove plant boiled in ale is good for rheumatism. There is an

extraordinary statement that " it works violently upwards and down.wards," though whether in connexion with rheumatism the authordoes not say. A decoction of ivy leaves destroys vermin in children’sheads; an infusion made from the berries is good for rheumatic pains.A decoction of haresfoot " stops the overflowing of the menses ...... andis good against bloody fluxes and purgings of all kinds." A decoctionof larkspur leaves arrests haemorrhage. The juice of lettuces, or thestalk eaten whole, produces sleep, the author wisely stating that itshould be given by the housewife in preference to opium or its pre.-

parations. An infusion of marigold flowers is a good diaphoreticin fevers. The leaves of mistletoe dried and powdered are to beused in epilepsy. The juice of primrose roots relieves headaches,Horse-radish is good for rheumatism. The fresh tops of wood sage"promote the menses powerfully." Thistle root is a bitter tonicand improves the appetite. A tea made of the fresh tops of thymeis excellent in asthma. A syrup made from violets is a good aperientfor children. 500 plants are given altogether, but I have only chosenthose which are well known at the present time. The book is 100years old and probably many plants well known at that time wouldbe less familiar now and consequently less interesting to the medicalreader than those I have named.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,

August 17th, 1901.HENRY W. ;:;PAIGHT, L.R.C.P.,L.R.C.S. lret,

"GRUESOME SUPERSTITIONS."

To the Editors of THE LANCET.

SIRS,—Your correspondent, " Corpus Vile," in THE LANCET of

A.ugust 17th, p. 502, will find an article on the curious phenomenonknown as "bleeding bread," or the "bleeding Host," in Nature ofOct. 12th, 1893 (vol. xlviii., page 578), with several references to theLiterature on the subject.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,H. A. GREGORY, Assistant Editor of Yatt6re.

Westover-road, Wandsworth Common, S.W., August 18th, 1901.FRACTURE OF THE FIRST RIB.

IT is generally recognised that fracture of the first rib is very difficultto diagnose. It is so hidden by the clavicle that it is saved from

many direct blows, but the clavicle also renders it difficult to deter-mine if any fracture of the first rib is present. It is almost impossibleto palpate it, but auscultation appears to offer assistance in diagnosingfracture of this rib, as it not infrequently does in cases of fracture ofother ribs. Dr. Eichholz has furnished us with the notes of a case ofa man who fell downstairs, striking the point of his shoulder. Hehad pain over the upper end of the sternum aggravated by breathing.No crepitus could be felt, but on auscultation crepitus could be heardnear the sternal end of the clavicle. In another case also the

stethoscope rendered easy the diagnosis of fracture of a second rib.In both instances the subsequent formation of a callus confirmed thediagnosis.THE EQUIPMENT OF A CIVIL SURGEON AT THE WAR.V

To the Editors of THE LANCET.

SIRS,—I shall be obliged if you or any of your correspondents cangive me any hints as to the necessary outfit for a " civil medical

practitioner" in South Africa. Is any uniform necessary?I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,

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August 20th, 1901. CIVIL SURGEON.

"GRAND OPENING FOR A MEDICAL MAN."

WILL our correspondent, " C. W. Harrington, L.R.C.P.," in THE LANCETof August 17th, p. 503, be ood enough to forward his address?"

"WHITE PRECIPITATE IN INFANTILE DIARRHŒA."To the Editors of THE LANCET.

SIRS,-I quite agree with Dr. E. T. Ensor’s letter in THE LANCET ofAugust 10th, p. 430, re infantile diarrhoea; the liquor hydrargyri per-chloridi and aromatic spirit of ammonia do form an irritant poison butat the same time I have found the liquor hydrargyri perchloridi verybeneficial in the treatment of summer diarrhoea. It was stronglyadvised in your columns in the hot summer of 1893.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,August 21st, 1901. BRIDGE,

TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTION IN CAMBERWELLINFIRMARY.

We understand that the Camberwell Board of Guardians have made

provision for three wards, containing a total of 72 beds, in the newCamberwell Infirmary now in course of erection for patients sufferingfrom consumption.

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House Surgeon-Lectures on Medicine to Nurses, by Herbert E. Cuff,M.D. Lond., Churchill, 3s. 6d. ; Aseptic Principles for Nurses, byC. E. Richmond, F.R.C.S., Churchill, Is.; Medical Nursing, by JamesAnderson, M.D., London, H. K. Lewis.

Medical Diary for the ensuing Week.OPERATIONS.

METROPOLITAN HOSPITALS.MONDAY (26th).-London (2 P.M.), St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), St.

Thomas’s (3.30 P.M.), St. George’s (2 P.M.), St. Mary’s (2.30 P.M.),Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), Westminster (2 P.M.), Chelsea (2 P.M.),Samaritan (Gynaecological, b Physicians, 2 P.M.), Soho-square(2 P.M.), Royal Orthopaedic (2 P.M.), City Orthopaedic (4 P.M.),Gt. Northern Central (2.30 P.M.) West London (2.30 P.M.), LondonThroat (2 P.,M.).

TUESDAY (27th).-London (2 P.M.), St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), St.Thomas’s (3.30 P.M.), Guy’s (1.30 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), West-minster (2 P.M.), West London (2.30 P.M.), University College(2 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), St. Mary’s (1 P.M.), St. Mark’s(2.30 P.M.), Cancer (2 P.M.), Metropolitan (2.30 P.M.), London Throat(2 P.M. and 6 P.M.), Royal Ear (3 P.M.), Samaritan (9.30 A.M. and2.30 P.M.), Throat, Golden-square (9.30 A.M.).

WEDNESDAY (28th).-St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), University College(2 P.M.), Royal Free (2 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), Charing-cross(3 P.M.), St. Thomas’s (2 P.M.), London (2 P.M.), King’s College(2 P.M.), St. George’s (Ophthalmic, 1 P.M.), St. Mary (2 P.M.),National Orthopaedic (10 A.M.), St. Peter’s (2 P.M.), Samaritan(9.30 A.M. and 2.30 P.M.), Gt. Ormond-street (9.30 A.M.), Gt. NorthernCentral (2.30 P.M.), Westminster (2 P.M.), Metropolitan (2.30 P.M.),London Throat (2 P.M.), Cancer (2 P.M.), Throat, Golden-square(9.30 A.M.).

THURSDAY (29th).-St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), St. Thomas’s(3.30 P.M.), University College (2 P.M.), Charing-cross (3 P.M.), St.Georges’s (I P.M.), London (2 P.M.), King’s College (2 P.M.), Middlesex(1.30 P.M.), St. Mary’s (2.30 P.M.), Soho-square (2 P.M.), North-WestLondon (2 P.M.), Chelsea (2 P.M.), Gt. Northern Central (Gyneeco-logical, 2.30 P.M.), Metropolitan (2.30 P.M.), London Throat (2 P.M.),St. Mark’s (2 P.M.), Samaritan (9.30 A.M. and 2.30 P.M.), Throat,Golden-square (9.30 A.M.).

FRIDAY (30th).-London (2 P.M.), St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), St.Thomas’s (3.30 P.M.), Guy’s (1.30 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), Charing-cross (3 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), King’s College (2 P.M.), St. Mary s(2 P.",!.), Ophthalmic (10 A.M.), Cancer (2 P.M.), Chelsea (2 P.M.), Gt.Northern Central (2.30 P.M.). West London (2.30 P.M.), LondonThroat (2 P.M. and 6 P.M.), Samaritan (9.30 A.M. and 2.30 P.M.),Throat, Golden-square, (9.30 A.M.).

SATURDAY (31st).-Royal Free (9 A.M. and 2 P.M.), London (2 P.M.),Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), St. Thomas’s (2 P.M.), University College(9.15 A.M.), Charing-cross (2 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), St. Mary’s(10 P.M.), London Throat (2 P.M.), Throat, Golden-square (9.30 A.M.).

At the Royal Eye Hospital (2 P.M.), the Royal London Ophthalmic(10 A.M.), the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic (1.30 P.M.), and the

’

Central London Ophthalmic Hospitals operations are performed daily.

LECTURES, ADDRESSES, DEMONSTRATIONS, &c.MONDAY (26th).-WEST LONDON VACATION POST-GRADUATE COURSE

(West London Hospital, Hammersmith-road, W.).-5 P.M. Dr.S. Taylor: Surface Anatomy of the Thorax.

THURSDAY (29th).-WEST LONDON VACATION POST-GRADUATE COURSE(West London Hospital, Hammersmith-road, W.).-b P.M. Dr. E. A.Saunders: Neurasthenia and its Treatment.

EDITORIAL NOTICES.IT is most important that communications relating to the

Editorial business of THE LANCET should be addressedexclusively "To THE EDITORS," and not in any case to anygentleman who may be supposed to be connected with theEditorial staff. It is urgently necessary that attention begiven to this notice.

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MANAGER’S NOTICES.THE INDEX TO THE LANCET.

THE Index to Vol. I. of 1901, which was completed withthe issue of June 29th, and the Title-page to the Volume,were given in THE LANCET of July 6th.

VOLUMES AND CASES.

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M E T E O R O L O G I C A L R E A D I N G S.

(Taken daily at 8.30 a.m. by Steward’s Ingtr2vrrments.)THE LANCET Office, August 22nd, 1901.

During the week marked copies of the following newspapershave been received :-W eekly South African News, MiningJournal, Majeking Mail, Windsor and Eton Express, HertfordshireMercury, Reading Mercury, City Press, Leeds Mercury, LiverpooDaily Post, Daily News, Halifax Evening Courier, &c.